Nostalgic Americana was all the rage in the US the late 1930s – its not surprising, with everything going on in Europe – and Orson Welles was as affected by it as much as anyone. For radio he did this, Ambersons, Life with Father, Abraham Lincoln, Wickford Point, Huckleberry Finn; he also made Ambersons on film (even Citizen Kane qualifies as Americana).Seventeen was based on a story by Booth Tarkington and centres around the usual coming of age adventures – squabbling with the girl next door, chasing after a fast girl, palling around with mates, wanting to buy a jacket. Welles plays the lead role and its fascinating to hear him play it with a whiny high pitched voice – it’s a bit amateur dramatic society (even geniuses can be miscast) but the piece does have charm, even if Welles’ character is irritating. Joe Cotton plays a black called Genisus.
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